Police: Phone thief tackled by Good Samaritan

by Michael Harthorne

SEATTLE -- A phone thief was foiled by the quick actions of a witness, who tackled the thief and held him down until officers arrived, last week in Capitol Hill, according to the Seattle Police Department.

A woman was waiting at a bus stop in the 900 block of East Pine Street around 11 a.m. May 21. When she took her iPhone out to check the time, a man grabbed it and ran off north on Harvard Avenue, according to the police report for the incident.

The woman ran after the robber while yelling for help. A man standing on the corner saw what was happening, chased the robber down and tackled him, according to the report.

The Good Samaritan, along with a few other citizens, were able to hold the suspected robber until officers arrived.

The suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of robbery. But, the victim's iPhone was damaged beyond repair during the incident.